25 Oct, 2007
China-based Huawei Technologies is expected to tie up with a number of Taiwan makers, including Zyxel Communications, Alpha Networks and an affiliate company of Quanta Computer, for cooperation in the production of WiMAX CPE (customer premise equipment) products, according to sources at Huawei.
WiMAX CPE hardware coming from Zyxel, Alpha Networks and Quanta's subsidiary have passed Huawei's internal IOT (interoperability testing), the sources noted.
For its future cooperation with Taiwan makers, Huawei is expected to allow its production partners to ship WiMAX CPE products directly to its clients, instead of its current practice of placing OEM orders to Taiwan makers, according to sources at Taiwan's WiMAX device makers.
A total of six mobile WiMAX networks installed by Huawei in cooperation with telecom service providers around the globe have entered commercial operations, said sources at Huawei, who also noted that the six WiMAX operators are Saudi Telecom Company (STC) of Saudi Arabia, Summa Telecom of Russia, Mobilink of Pakistan, MTN (Mobile Telephone Networks) and Vodacom of South Africa, and Nextwave of the US.
According to the company sources, Huawei also plans to launch WiMAX handsets before the end of 2008, focusing on GSM/WiMAX, CDMA/WiMAX and 3G/WiMAX dual-mode models.
